


Friend, Please

by cxhztile (orphan_account)



Series: Aftermaths [3]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Fear of Abandonment, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares, Sad with a Happy Ending, the end of 04x01 and 04x02 are sad man
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-04
Updated: 2018-07-04
Packaged: 2019-06-05 02:30:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15160487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/cxhztile
Summary: Nightmares can be not-so-subtle reminders of fears and phobias.(Sequel to "Just Off The Key Of Reason -- title is from the song "Friend, Please" by Twenty One Pilots)





	Friend, Please

**Years ago...**

“ _John? John!_ ” was what the soft pants called out. Watery eyes shot open moments only to be met with pitch black darkness. No sign of help or comfort on its way. After what he did? It was understandable.

Sherlock rolled onto his back, sighing heavily as he rubbed his face and ran his hands through his hair. A nightmare. That’s all it was. But, nonetheless, a reminder of the burden he bore. He hadn’t upheld his vow and now he had lost two people he cared about the most, one permanently. 

The harrowing feeling within his chest began eating at him again. Everything began to feel a degree colder, almost to spite him and make his loneliness more apparent. Showing him once again that he was truly alone, in mind and body. He had to wait out his stomach stopping turning before he could even attempt to fall back asleep.

* * *

 

**Now...**

The night of the wedding, everyone returned home, exhausted and ready to sleep like babies. 

On Baker street, the actual baby was put to bed first as the new addition to the Watsons got himself ready to lay down. He ended up falling asleep first anyway. John’s body, on the other hand, needed a bit more coaxing.

He was nearly asleep when he was brought back to reality by the display on the other half of the bed. There was Sherlock, dead asleep yet curling in on himself and almost inaudibly calling out. Thankfully, he awoke to a gentle touch. 

“I-I’m fine...” He assured, his response going unbelieved.

“Sherlock, it’s the middle of the night, we’ve only been married a few hours, and I’d like to not have a fight about this. So what’s wrong?” John croaked as he rubbed his eye. 

“It was just a silly nightmare...”

“So much so you were hollering my name in your sleep?” John pried, laying on his stomach and resting his head atop his folded arms. As he felt his husband undertake a fit of fear filled trembling, he moved closer to the bare back facing him as reassurance that he was there and occasionally peppered kisses on shoulder blades.

“I-it’s just a dream of abandonment, nothing major--”

“ _William Sherlock Scott Watson_. For the love of God, you can’t convince me that that topic is nothing so stop telling yourself that.” John was so enraged, it was necessary to pull the name card, saying Watson instead of Holmes having a nice ring to it. Finally, Sherlock laid onto his back, eyes welled with tears, staring up a John who had since propped himself up to be sat on his knees. 

“Now, if that nightmare’s got anything to do with me, just know I’m not going anywhere. I’m not planning on abandoning you. You’re not alone, you have me. Please get that through that thick skull of your’s.” John almost laughed, cupping one of Sherlock’s cheeks. They exchanged meager smiles before laying on their sides, face-to-face. 

Sherlock was coddled against John’s chest and firmly held, reinforcing that he wasn’t isolated and providing him warmth and affection. It broke John’s heart that any subconscious mind would conjure that, especially Sherlock’s. He assumed it was from the one time he dared to turn his back on him, after what happened to Mary. It was now a regretful choice since Sherlock was the one he needed the most in that desperate hour. He had since come to terms with the fact that neither could have prevented it. 

Before drifting completely off, John pulled his husband closer to him and pressed a kiss against his forehead. He knew he wouldn’t rather be anywhere else at that moment. 

**Author's Note:**

> i listened to 1 hour of sad 21p songs for a portion of this and when "friend please" came on i knew it had to be the title.... anyway i didn't want to ket myself write more for this series but someone said they wanted more so i went wit a short thing my brain conjured. i'm sorry all of these have some sad element lmao this especially. for once was not posted to tumblr but my blog is eroscalling regardless


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